Prefabricated wall form



Oct. 17; 19 50 A. ARRIGHINI ETAL PREFABRICATED WALL; FORM 2 Sheets-Sheet;

mm- March 29. 1948 INVENTOR.

mar/. ARR/GH/N/ GA-ORGiAVA/l SIC/12f ATTOR/Vi/S Patented Oct; 17, 9.50

2,526,529 PREFABRICATED WALL FORM Artil Arrighini, Detroit, andfGeorge A. Van Sickle,

, Mount Clemens, Mich.

Application March 29, 1948, Serial No. 17,644

. g 1 ,This invention relates generally to prefabricated forms and refers more particularly to forms of the type employed for fashioning composition walls.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a collapsible wall form composed of a relatively few simple parts capable of being readily erected and disassembled with a minimum amount of labor@ a Another object of this invention is to provide a prefabricated form wherein the relatively few simple sections are releasably secured in assembled relationship by devices which are exceedingly simple to manipulate and which cooperate to securely hold the sections in proper relationship during pouringor introduction of the composition material therebetween.

I The foregoing as well as other objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a 6 Claims. (Cl. 25131) prefabricated wall form embodying the features Figure 4 is a sectional view through one .of the H releasable holding devices provided; 7 7

Figures 5 and 6 are sectional views taken respectively on the lines 5-5 and 6-6 of Figure 4. A part-of a prefabricated wall form embodying the featuresof this invention is shown in Figure l as comprising a base unit Ill and a vertical wall forming unit I I supported on the base unit. The

base unit I!) comprises laterally spaced rails l2' adapted to rest on a suitable foundation, and' designed to cooperatewith one another to provide a confined space in which a footing I3 for a vertical composition wall I4 may be formed; The base unit In forms no part of the present invention, and as a consequence, "is not described in detail herein. It will suffice to point out that the rails I2 of the base unit maybe extruded-from :aluminum or some similar material to thegeneral cross section indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings, and have provision for supporting the vertical wall forming unit II;

The wall forming unit II comprises laterally spaced vertical walls I5 respectively supported at the bottom edges on the rails I2 and cooperating with one another to provide the space therebetween required to form the vertical composition wall l4. Each vertical wall I5 in turn comprises horizontal flanges '26.

z a plurality of vertical sections I6 separable from one another, and. adapted to be releasably secured together in edge to edge relationship by suitable clamps I! to be more fully hereinafter described.

Each wall section I6 comprises a frame I8 and a panel I9 suitably secured to the inner surface of the frame I8. The frame I8 for each section I6 is composed of top, bottom and side members 29, 2| and 22 respectively. In cases where the wall sections I6 'are of substantial width, it is also preferred to reinforce the same with an upright member- 23 positioned intermediate the opposite side members 22. In any event the opposite side members 22 of each wall section I6 are connected adj-acentthe uplper'endof th'e wall section by a pair of laterally spaced strips 2 and are also connected at the bottom by a similar pair of laterally'spaced strips 25. These strips are shown in Figure 2 of the drawings as being generally L-shaped in cross section, and are secured to thdupright members of the frame l8 with the horizontal flanges 25 extending laterally inwardly and positioned adjacent one another. It will be understood'that the upright members of the frame are suitably notched to receive the The above construction is such that when the wall sections I6 are positioned in edge to edge relationship on the supporting unit Ill, the panels I9 of theseveral sections cooperate to form a continuous substantially uninterrupted surface against which the composition wall may be cast.

In this connection it will be 'noted that the laterally spaced rails I2 of the base unit are formed. with upwardly opening channels 26 of sufficient dimension to freely receive the lower end portions ti'onsflfi of the laterally spaced walls I5 are re- -spectivelypositionedon the rails I2 of the base unit, the strips 24; on adjacent'sections assume positions in alignment with oneanother and the strips 25 on adjacent sections also assume'positions in alignment with one another.

The opposed sections I6 of the vertical walls I5 are held'in proper laterally spaced relationship by vertically spaced ties 21 comprising transverse bars 28 and clips 29. As shown particularly in Figure 3 of the drawings, the bars 28 extend through aligned openings 30 formed in the opposed wall sections IB, and the opposite ends of the bars respectively project between the pairs of strips 24 and '25. It will be noted thatthe bars taper in width and in thickness'from a point adjacent one end to the opposite end. This construction enables readily removing the bars from the composition wall M after the latter has become set sufficiently to enable disassembling the form. The opposite end of each bar is formed with an elongated slot 3| of sufiicient dimension to receive one of the clips 29. The openings 3! are spaced laterally beyond the transverse strips 24 and 25, so that the clips abut the outer surfaces of the strips and thereby hold the opposed wall sections i6 against relative movement in an outward direction. Formed on or secured to the upper end of each clip 29 is a hook 32. The hooks 32 on the upper ends of the clips are adapted to respectively hook over the uppermost strip in each pair of strips 23 and 25 in the manner clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. Thus the hooks 32 cooperate to hold the opposed wall sections [6 against relative shifting movement in an inward direction.

As stated above the adjacent verticaledge portions of the wall sections I6 are secured together by the clamps 1?. As shown particularly in Figures 2, 4 to 6 inclusive, each clamp ll-comprises a pair of relativelyslidable |parts.-33 and 33. The part 34 comprises a laterally inwardly opening U-shaped member having oppositely extending support engaging flanges 35 and having a laterally inwardly extending finger 36 atone end. The part 33 is in the form of a plate which is slidably supported in the U-shaped member 34 and is held inassembled relation with the U- -shaped member .-by a strip 31 which is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the U-shaped memberat the open side thereof. The end of the part 33 opposite the-end of the-part 34 having the-finger 36 thereon is also formed with a later- ,are respectively positioned opposite the strips 24 and '25, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. In detail each clamp is positioned so that the flanges 35 on the U-shaped part 34 bear against the outer sides of the adjacent ends of the strips in overlapping relationship to the joint between the vertical edges of adjacent wall sections. In positioning the clamps the fingers'33 and 38 are respectively engaged with the pins 39 in the manner .shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, so that relative sliding movement of the parts 33 and 34 in a direction toward one another'urges the adjacent vertical edges of-the Wall sections in intimate contacting relationship.

The clamp parts are relatively moved toward one another by-a stake dii which extends through vertical slots H formed in the clamp |parts33 and 34. ,The location of the slots 9| in the respective clamp parts is determined so that the slots register with one another in the clamped position of the parts, and the stake 48 is wedgeshaped to impart a cam action on opposite end walls of the slots 4| to effect alignment of the slots in response to movement of the wedgeishaped stake in a downward direction relative to the clamp parts.

t In other words the construction is such that as the wedge-shaped stake is moved downwardly through the slots 4 i, the parts 33 and 34 of the clamp are relatively moved in a direction toward one another. As the clamp parts are relatively moved toward one another, the inclined edges on the fingers 33 and 38 respectively exert a camming action on the pins 39 to force the vertical edges of adjacent wall sections together.

It of course follows from the above that the clamps may be readily released by merely moving the wedge-shaped stakes 40 in an upward direction to release the clamping action on the respective wall sections. After the stake 40 has been raised a relatively short distance, the clamping parts may be relatively moved in directions away from each other a sufiicient distance to disengage the fingers from the respective pins 39, whereupon the clamp may be removed from the .wall sections. If desired the lower end of each stake 43 may be provided with a pin 42 which limits theextent of withdrawal of the stake, and retains the latter in assembled relationship with the clamp.

It follows from the foregoing that the several Wall sections may be readily positioned in proper relationship by the supporting base unit Ill, and

thatadjacent vertical edges of the wall sections may be quickly secured together by the clamps l1. These clamps are of a nature which enable the same to be readily manipulated to either clamp the wall sections together or to release the same. It will further be noted that the construction of the tie .rods described at some length above renders it-possible to install and remove these rods ,in a very short period-of time. Thus the tie rod arrangementand the clamp construction cooperate to permit assembling and disassembling a wall form of substantial size in a relatively short space of time, and with a minimum amount of labor.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A collapsible form for composition Walls, comprising wall sections adapted to be supported in edge to edge relationship, a pair of laterally spaced strips secured to the outer sides of each Wall section and positioned so that the strips of one pair are substantially aligned with the strips of the other pair in the assembled relation of the wall sections, a pair of pins respectively supported between the pairs of strips at opposite sides of the joint between thewall sections, a clamp having part5 slidably engageable with one another and adapted to be positioned for relative sliding movement transversely of the joint between the wall sections, means for relatively sliding the parts in directions toward one another, and fingers respectively projecting inwardly from said parts between the parts of strips and responsive to rela- 'tivemovement of the parts toward one another to clampadjacentedges of the wall sections together.

2. A collapsible form for composition Walls, comprising wall sections adapted to be supported in edge to edge relationship and laterally spaced from similar opposing wall sections, tie members extending through aligned openings in said opposing wall sections, laterally spaced strips exjoint therebetween, a clamp. abutting said strips in overlapping relationship to the joint and having parts supported for relative sliding movement transversely of said joint, said parts including fingers respectively engageable with said clamping elements upon relative sliding movement of the parts toward one another to hold adjacent edges of the sections in engagement, and means for relatively sliding the parts toward one another and for releasably holding said parts in their respective clamped positions.

3. A collapsible form as defined in claim 2, wherein the tie member is tapered from a point adjacent one end to the opposite end to permit ready withdrawal of said member from the composition material between the opposed wall sections.

4. A collapsible form as defined in claim 2, wherein the anchorage clips are provided with hook-like portions at the upper ends to extend laterally inwardly over the top edge of one of said strips to engage the inner side thereof. I

5. A collapsible form for composition walls, comprising wall sections adapted to be supported in edge to edge relationship, laterally spaced strips extending transversely of each section and positioned so that the strips on adjoining sections are in substantial alignment with each other when said sections are in assembled relation, clamping elements supported between said strips on opposite sides of the joint between the sections, means for securing the sections together including a clamp abutting said strips and having parts supported for relative sliding movement transversely of the joint and having fingers respectively engageable with said elements upon relative sliding movement of the parts toward one another to hold adjacent edges of the sections in engagement, and releasable means for actuating said clamp and holding the parts in I their respective clamped positions.

6. A collapsible form for composition walls, comprising wall sections adapted to be supported in edge to edge relationship, laterally spaced strips extending transversely of each section and positioned so that the strips on adjoining sections are in substantial alignment with each other when said sections are in assembled relation, clamping elements supported between said strips on opposite sides of the joint between the sections, means for securing the sections together including a clamp abutting said strips and having parts slidably engageable with one another and adapted to be positioned for relative sliding movement transversely of the joint between the sections, fingers projecting inwardly from the respective parts and respectively engageable with the outer sides of the clamping elements for urging adjacent edges of the wall sections in contact, and an element extending perpendicular to the direction of relative sliding movement of the parts through registering openings in said parts and tapered to relatively move the parts in directions toward one another in response to movement thereof in one direction.

ARTIL ARRIGHINI. GEORGE A. VAN SICKLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,239,390 Henry Sept. 4, 1917 1,780,661 Wedberg Nov. 4, 1930 2,017,553 Troiel Oct. 15, 1935 2,162,869 Sy-mons June 20, 1939 2,251,775 Arrighini Aug. 5, 1941 

